The White Bengal Tiger is not a separate species but a rare color variation of the standard Bengal Tiger, Panthera tigris tigris. This unique coloration is caused by a double recessive gene, resulting in a white coat with the typical black stripes. Because the White Bengal Tiger shares the exact same biology as its orange counterpart, its dietary needs and preferences in the wild are identical. As an obligate carnivore, the tiger’s entire energy and nutrient requirements are met exclusively through the consumption of animal tissue. This apex predator relies on a meat-only diet to survive, making it a powerful and formidable hunter in its native environment.
Natural Prey Species
The diet of the wild Bengal Tiger primarily consists of large ungulates. The bulk of their food intake comes from species like Sambar deer, which can weigh over 400 pounds, and Chital, also known as spotted deer. Other common large prey include Nilgai, the Asian antelope, Wild Boar, and Gaur, the largest species of wild cattle. Tigers often prefer prey weighing more than 388 pounds, which provides a substantial meal to sustain them for several days.
Tigers are opportunistic feeders and will occasionally take smaller prey. This supplemental diet can include monkeys, various birds like peafowl, and smaller mammals such as porcupines and hares. In areas where human settlements overlap with the tiger’s territory, they may also prey upon domestic livestock, including cattle and goats. This behavior is generally a result of habitat fragmentation or a decline in the availability of their natural wild prey.
Hunting Strategy and Consumption Patterns
The Bengal Tiger is a solitary hunter that relies on stealth and power. Hunting is through a combination of stalking and ambush, using their striped coats as camouflage within the dense vegetation or tall grasses. The tiger moves slowly, freezing its body before launching a surprise attack with a short burst of speed to overpower its target. Once the prey is secured, the tiger uses a powerful bite to the neck or throat, often employing a chokehold to ensure a quick kill.
Tigers do not need to feed every day. A single large kill can sustain a tiger for several days, and they are capable of eating up to 88 pounds of meat in a single session. The animal will often drag the carcass of a large kill to a secluded spot, known as caching, and return to it over successive nights to finish the meal. The tiger’s reliance on water is also notable, as they frequently drink and often submerge themselves after a large meal, or during the heat of the day, to cool down.
Diet Management in Captivity
In captivity, their diet is carefully controlled to ensure optimal health. They are fed a diet of fresh, lean red meat, with common sources including beef, horse, or specialized, commercially prepared carnivore chows. The amount fed is carefully measured, often based on a percentage of the tiger’s body weight, with an average adult male requiring about 12 pounds of food per day.
To replicate this completeness in captivity, the prepared meat is usually supplemented with essential vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, Vitamin A, and taurine. A frequent practice in managed feeding is the inclusion of “fast days,” where the tiger is intentionally not fed for one or two days a week. This schedule mimics the natural feeding cycle of a wild tiger, which does not make a kill daily, and helps maintain their appetite and lean body condition.